hi guys, my parents have a wedding anniversary coming up on the 18th. it's also my mom's b-day. i wanted to do something really cool and special for them.

as usual, everything i attempt to do that's cool and special SUCKS!!! sigh

i don't know how to do this better and i don't have much time.

i took this pic last night. lights were off. i was lookin' at a homemade tape my dad made. here's the story.

either he or mom took this pic of me when i was 4 or 5. Dad used his camcorder to "photograph" this pic which is on my homemade tape he made for me. Then i took a nightshot of me looking at the picture on my TV screen.

I know it's a Disaster!!!!
ya'all have any suggestions on how to make this better in postwork or in reshooting.

ok, here's the original photo i took last night. gotta hurry or i'll be late for work! thanks. it's important to me. i know it sucks, but i'd really like to TRY!!!! :)

Message edited on: 04/16/2005 15:12

changed to b/w

used some filter to try to soften. can't remember now. 'preciate any help or advice!!!!

Attached Link: http://faq.arstechnica.com/subcat.php?i=363

Sheila, It doesn't look too bad so far considering you shot this from the TV. There is hardware available that allows you to plug you VCR or camcorder into you computer to capture video and still frames! You can get them in USB and internal card versions! They range in price from 20 bucks on up! Might be something to consider! Then you can put all this video onto DVD if ya want! Checkout the link for more info:

You also might want to try standing farther back from your TV when shooting this again! Use your tripod and then zoom in to get as much of the image in view as possible! This might be a good one to shoot in RAW format, As you'll have more control over the image when post-processing it later as well! The thing to remember is that TV produce scan lines and what not...you won't get a crystal clear image! Hope this helps! L8r! Joe

Yep, not easy to enhance. Good tips and I can only say it's good to have long shutter time to prevent stripes (refresh-frequency can cause dark stripes), handy to put it on tripod right in front of tv, but beyond that cam is out of options to get the quality better. That is to say, as far as my little knowledge allows me :) Good luck!!!

Hi Sheila, i hope you dont mind i had a go at it, its probably not nearly good enough lol but its the best i could do. I really dont think it can be enhanced much better using regular graphic programs as psp or ps. Hugs, Jeroen

Message edited on: 04/16/2005 19:10

I would like to see you sitting infront of the tv watching it. So that the shot covers all of the TV and part of you. Head and shoulder maybe. Set up your camera a little higher than the couch youre sitting on. Add some subtle light to bring out your silhouette....that is what i would love to see. Seeing that you will never get this photo to look that much better than you already have, why not create a scenery that explains the lower quality...and besides...would be like a before-after shot, LOL. Your current self and you back then...in the same shot...am i being weird? I guess im making no sense..la la la..better have me some breakfast before i start rambling away...See ya Sheila!!! C.S....

How come we say 'It's colder than hell outside' when isn't it realistically always colder than hell since hell is supposed to be fire and brimstone?
____________________

Andreas

Mystic Pic

@Joe, thanks so much for your suggestions!!!!! good idea to shoot this in RAW format. i'll give that a try and see. and i'll try shooting from a distance too and zooming in! maybe that will help! @Jan-Carel, Thanks! I'll give that a try!!!! this one my shutter was 1/5 sec.; f/8; ISO 64. yep, it was on tripod. used timer, and it was difficult to capture 'cause in the video, Dad is zoomin' in on the pic...it's constantly movin' until the very end. @Jeroen, THANKS!!! :) nah...of course i don't mind! that looks a lot better! what filter did you use? i tried using salt & pepper filter & edge preserving smooth. really you did a fantastic job. hard to get it any better i think considering what you have to work with! @Andreas, COOL idea! Problem is the relation of my sofa to the TV. but i *think* i can get part of my body in the image...perhaps a side profile of my head and shoulder might work. wonder what kind of lighting? candle? No way do i think that's being weird!!!! I LOVE that idea and it makes PERFECT sense!!!!! I'll put the tripod back farther as Joe suggests, do a longer shutter speed as jan-carel suggests, and try to get myself in the image. Thanks sooooooo much guys for taking the time to help me out with this and for your suggestions! it really means a lot to me!!!! I'm not very good at doing this creative stuff. here's another one i'm working on. *sigh*. i know it's bad. :P it's me and my brother wishin' we could be with my parents. that's their porch. anyway, i'm not gettin' much sleep these days from tryin' to make something cool for them. thanks a bunch guys for your help & wish me luck tomorrow night as i try again!!!!! hugz, sheila

Hmm LOL now that i see the image in daylight.... sigh a bit too blurred lol I dont remember what filters i used either lol it was kinda late last night hehe ;o) but i think i used texture preserving smooth and the first i did was deinterlace. Twice, the two different ones (even and odd?), pasted one as a new layer and blended 50% (dissolve). Ah well... ;o) Have a great sunday !! Hugs, Jeroen

thanks, Jeroen! well, the image is blurred because the original photo is...and then it's even more blurry on video...and from my cam! LOL! Thanks for telling me what you did, Jeroen! hugz, sheila oh, in above pic, me and my brother...that's another nightshot i took...a pic of us on the TV from dad's homemade video. i played with the luminosity and erased the background. too bad the image looks like crap! :)

Sheila, maybe I am too late here, but I tried.

I tried it too but more for the fun than for getting good results cos I'm afraid not much can be done here! :( U gonna have to re-shoot that one dear! ;)

Gun, that looks a LOT better! thanks a lot! how did you do that? Pascale, thanks for trying! yeah, i'm gonna reshoot this one! they'll just have to get it late...